COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Seeking its third-straight conference team title, the No. 2-ranked Texas A&M women's swimming and diving team will take a 205-point lead into Sunday's final day of the 2018 Southeastern Conference Championships at the Student Recreation Natatorium.
In the Team Standings…
The Aggie continued to pour on the points with two SEC titles on Day 4 and have compiled a total of 953 points entering the final day. Trailing the Aggies were Georgia (748), Tennessee (706.5), Kentucky (592.5), Auburn (528.5), Missouri (508), South Carolina (456), Florida (429.5), Alabama (407), Arkansas (329), LSU (282) and Vanderbilt (152).
Head Coach Steve Bultman said:
"We're in good shape as a team right now after another great session tonight. We won two events and nearly won two more, so it was a great night with some really good swims. We've got some good events tomorrow with people that can do well in all of them. We're excited to see what's going to happen on Sunday."
Quah tallies surprise 200 fly SEC title
Freshman Jing Quah surprised the field as she flew to victory in the 200 butterfly in a time of 1:53.05, which took more than two seconds off her season best entering the SEC Championships. Fellow freshman Taylor Pike joined her in the Championship final and contributed a seventh place finish in a lifetime best 1:55.48.
Bultman said, "Jing's win in the 200 butterfly was probably the biggest surprise. She went her best time in the morning and was just seeded fourth going into finals. Then she dropped another second and a half and won the thing, which was super exciting."
Bratton takes the bronze in the 100 backstroke
Senior Lisa Bratton earned the bronze medal in the 100 backstroke with a lifetime best time of 51.10. The Aggies also received valuable points in the 100 back from sophomore Raena Eldridge (13th, 53.14) and sophomore Sara Metzsch (21st, 53.87).
100 breaststroke
The Aggies flexed their muscles in the 100 breaststroke with a 1-2 finish from sophomore Anna Belousova and senior Jorie Caneta. Belousova, a newcomer to the squad in 2017-18, won the gold medal in 58.86, while Caneta, the defending champion in the race, was right behind in 58.91. Earlier in the day, Belousova earned the top qualifier spot with a lifetime best of 58.40 while becoming the third sub-59 second Aggie in program history (joining former NCAA Champion Breeja Larson and Caneta).
Bultman said, "I was really happy with Anna and Jorie going 1-2 in the 100 breast with both of them going under 59 seconds. That's pretty cool."
400 medley relay take silver
The Aggies closed out the night with a runner-up finish in the 400 medley relay with the foursome of Bratton, Belousova, Quah and junior Claire Rasmus touching in 2:29.40.
In the Team Standings…
The Aggie continued to pour on the points with two SEC titles on Day 4 and have compiled a total of 953 points entering the final day. Trailing the Aggies were Georgia (748), Tennessee (706.5), Kentucky (592.5), Auburn (528.5), Missouri (508), South Carolina (456), Florida (429.5), Alabama (407), Arkansas (329), LSU (282) and Vanderbilt (152).
Head Coach Steve Bultman said:
"We're in good shape as a team right now after another great session tonight. We won two events and nearly won two more, so it was a great night with some really good swims. We've got some good events tomorrow with people that can do well in all of them. We're excited to see what's going to happen on Sunday."
Quah tallies surprise 200 fly SEC title
Freshman Jing Quah surprised the field as she flew to victory in the 200 butterfly in a time of 1:53.05, which took more than two seconds off her season best entering the SEC Championships. Fellow freshman Taylor Pike joined her in the Championship final and contributed a seventh place finish in a lifetime best 1:55.48.
Bultman said, "Jing's win in the 200 butterfly was probably the biggest surprise. She went her best time in the morning and was just seeded fourth going into finals. Then she dropped another second and a half and won the thing, which was super exciting."
Bratton takes the bronze in the 100 backstroke
Senior Lisa Bratton earned the bronze medal in the 100 backstroke with a lifetime best time of 51.10. The Aggies also received valuable points in the 100 back from sophomore Raena Eldridge (13th, 53.14) and sophomore Sara Metzsch (21st, 53.87).
100 breaststroke
The Aggies flexed their muscles in the 100 breaststroke with a 1-2 finish from sophomore Anna Belousova and senior Jorie Caneta. Belousova, a newcomer to the squad in 2017-18, won the gold medal in 58.86, while Caneta, the defending champion in the race, was right behind in 58.91. Earlier in the day, Belousova earned the top qualifier spot with a lifetime best of 58.40 while becoming the third sub-59 second Aggie in program history (joining former NCAA Champion Breeja Larson and Caneta).
Bultman said, "I was really happy with Anna and Jorie going 1-2 in the 100 breast with both of them going under 59 seconds. That's pretty cool."
400 medley relay take silver
The Aggies closed out the night with a runner-up finish in the 400 medley relay with the foursome of Bratton, Belousova, Quah and junior Claire Rasmus touching in 2:29.40.